KENNEBEC COMMUTER

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: Loud music from cars against law
By MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

There was a woman on the Kennebec Commuter's childhood street who used to complain until she was blue in the face about people driving through the neighborhood with their stereos up full blast and the vibrations from the bass reverberating and echoing through out the neighborhood.

Among her complaints were the loud booming scared neighborhood children and it was just plain annoying to people who lived on our street.

The problem became as such the police in the Kennebec Commuter's hometown made loud music in a vehicle a fineable offense (party poopers).

Things here in Maine's capital city aren't much different. In fact, driving with your stereo system up to the point where hearing loss is a possible consequence is against the law throughout the state.

The law came into effect about seven years ago, stating: "A person may not operate a sound system in a vehicle on a public way at a volume audible at a distance of greater than 25 feet and exceeds 85 decibels."

In other words, forget about having that annual tailgate with AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" at full volume, or peeling down Western Avenue on a beautiful sunny day with your radio cranked all the way.

Or take your chances and pay $50, the fine if you're a first time offender. It increases $50 with each subsequent offense, and will not exceed $150 after the third, according state law.

Thought the law may seem minor, it not only benefits residents and other drivers, it may help the driver themselves.

Dr. Bart Billings, a clinical psychologist, suggested in his study "Feeling the Music can be Dangerous to Your Health", drivers who insist on rocking out to loud music while driving reduce their peripheral vision reaction time by 100 milliseconds.

"Since many road hazards emerge from the periphery, drivers listening to loud music are less safe," the good doctor wrote in the study.

Furthermore, the noise may not alert the driver to other commuters in a hurry to get somewhere -- like an ambulance.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5002790.html

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: Floods cause unique woes for autos
By MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

The Kennebec Commuter awoke to a nasty surprise Wednesday morning.

The parking lot behind our apartment building was flooded from the torrential rain, and water was starting to gather around car tires -- including this reporter's car tires.

Grumbling expletives and stepping into the chilly water to get the car was only part of the battle. The rest was trying to get out of the parking lot without getting stuck. Talk about being in a modern-day Oregon Trail game and trying to ford your car across the flooding.

But when all was said and done, the Kennebec Commuter was lucky; there was no flood damage to the car. Others in Maine -- particularly our northern neighbors in The County -- were not as fortunate.

Floods are one more reminder from Mother Nature that drivers need to be diligent when selecting their vehicle insurance packages and additives. It may sound like a scam by the insurance company when they insist you tack on flood insurance to your home or car, but it probably doesn't feel that way when you're trying to move your vehicle out of standing water and hear "squish" when you sit down in the driver's seat.

We talked to Lauren Fix -- better known as "The Car Coach" -- about what a driver should do with flood-damaged vehicles.

"The biggest secret out there is get it to an ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) technician for them to inspect it," Fix said.

"Honestly, it's the biggest thing you can do. Once water gets into the car, you're looking at electrical problems, brake line problems, even airbag problems."

Another concern with flood-damaged cars is mold and mildew from water in the carpeting.

Unfortunately, airing and cleaning the vehicle out is something that ought to be done professionally, Fix said, so forget about breaking out the fans and blow dryers.

For drivers who still have to drive through stretches of flooded parking lots to get to higher ground, Fix discourages those car owners from starting the vehicle, even if the water is halfway up the tires.

"If you get water in the engine, you'll just destroy it," Fix said. "Get a tow truck and have an ASE tech look at it. Even if water gets into the exhaust, you could be looking at brake line or fuel line problems."

Why use ASE? These technicians are the best in the industry, Fix said. Technicians must pass a test and complete two years of work before being certified, and must be re-certified every five years.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5020122.html#Scene_1

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: Find another way to get to work
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

Ditch the car today. Heck, ditch it all week.

Today kicks off Commute Another Way Week, and Friday is National Bike to Work Day. This week is a great time to car pool, bike or even walk to work or school.

The folks at GoMaine have been plugging this week as a good opportunity not only be green for the environment, but save some green for yourself. Who doesn’t want to save money on gasoline? Can you find one person who isn’t complaining about paying more than $3.60 per gallon of gas?

More than 500 employers and 5,000 commuters in Maine have helped cut traffic in one day by 11,400 car rides, three tons of pollution and 4,600 gallons of gasoline, according to the Web site www.gomaine.org.

We won’t get into how much money that is, but it’s more than the Kennebec Commuter’s car is worth.

While Commute Another Way Week is supposed to incorporate an element of fun, this year’s observation is a little more grim, Carey Kish from GoMaine said. “What we’re seeing in Maine is that people are hurting (financially),” Kish said. “They’re looking for alternatives because the bills for gas are piling up.”

Kish said carpooling programs — which you loyal readers will remember are growing substantially from previous columns — have become so popular, GoMaine has doubled the number of vehicles in its programs.

While car or vanpooling has not been considered mainstream in the past decade (except in Dagwood Bumstead’s case), Kish said he was pleased to report aside from doubling the vehicle numbers, car and vanpooling programs are being expanded statewide into Washington, Aroostook, and Hancock counties.

And some larger companies in the Pine Tree State are getting the hint their worker bees might be hurting at the pump while also trying to make ends meet.

“We’ve definitely have had some major employers call us, asking for transit opportunities for their employees,” Kish said.

“This isn’t just in southern Maine, either. This is a trend we’re starting to see all over Maine,” Kish added.

Pooling isn’t the only means of transportation Kish said is on the rise.

“I’ve spoken with many merchants who said an increasing amount of people are coming in asking for bicycles,” he said. “And not mountain bikes or anything fancy, but just a regular bike for good, solid transportation.”

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/1186430397.html

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: Work on I-295 goes on despite holiday
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

Ah, Memorial Day Weekend. A time to go up to camp, fire up the grill, get the boat out...and work construction on the interstate?

On the eve of the one of the biggest traveling holidays in the U.S., construction work on Interstate-295 was going to continue through Memorial Day Weekend, including today.

This struck us as just a little bit odd. Maybe it struck you loyal readers as a little odd, too, especially if your family is one of the hundreds or thousands who went up to camp, or headed south for some beach time. Why in the world would road construction continue on one of the busiest roads in the state — I-295 — during one of the busiest traveling weekends?

Meg Lane, a spokeswoman for the MaineDOT, said the (hopefully) sunny weather will play a role in the on-going construction, concentrated in the southbound lanes of the interstate in the Topsham-Brunswick vicinity.

While acknowledging this holiday weekend is a busy one for motorists, Lane added construction crews have a lot of work to complete before the closure of both southbound lanes June 16 and they need all the good weather they can get. Also, Lane added, the project is so large, asking the contractor to stop working would be comprable to shooting themselves in the foot.

“The contractor is putting in 16 hours a day, seven days a week,” Lane said. “If we asked them not to work, they’d really be behind the eight ball.” Lane suggests going southbound on the turnpike if traveling near Topsham.

“It’s an approach that makes sense,” Lane said. “(MaineDOT) is aware it is a holiday weekend, but we can’t insist they close on a weekend. They need all the good workdays they can get to finish this, so the overall project can wrap up by the August finish date.”

But most of us have a stubborn relative (like this writer’s father) who will insist on taking the most direct route, even if it means driving through a chaotic morassMMalloy 5/23/08 it’s a word! means tangle of work crews, heavy machinery, and minding fellow drivers, which Lane also acknowledged.

“Of course, the most important thing is for drivers to watch for work crews,” Lane said. “People need to put the cell phone down and watch their driving.”

One of the lanes, starting from Exit 31A-B to Exit 28, will be closed. Lane said as a precaution, the speed limit will be reduced to 55 mph, and the good folks from the Maine State Police will have a heavy presence to enforce the reduced speed limit. Fines automatically double for violating a speed limit in a work zone.

Those of you loading up the car right now for the lake, heed warning and find an alternative route. We hate to harp on it, but really, the Maine Turnpike is the Memorial Day Weekend traveler’s best bet. All construction work will be suspended and lanes will be open to ensure smoother and easier travel.

Despite the likelihood that traffic on the turnpike will be condensed, not only because it’s a holiday weekend, but because drivers will want to avoid I-295, the folks at the Maine Turnpike Authority still believe no new traffic records will be set during this weekend, according to a release sent out just before the weekend started.

Those troublesome gas prices -- some well over the $4 per gallon mark in southern and northern Maine -- are the culprit, turnpike officials believe. An estimated 650,000 vehicles will pass through the entrance to the Maine Turnpike in York this entire weekend.

Have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day!

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/40428407.html

I-295: A survival guide
From the Kennebec Journal

OK, OK, sometimes even the Kennebec Commuter makes a commuting faux pas (but don't tell anyone).

After hyping up the Turnpike or U.S. Route 201 to travel south for Memorial Day weekend, what did the Kennebec Commuter do last Monday afternoon? Drive to Portland via I-295.

All was going well until Topsham, and then it was standstill traffic.

After blurting out several expletives and pounding the steering wheel with our fist (and trust us, that really makes the traffic go faster), we finally got past the construction work.

Several of you loyal readers have been writing in lately, asking when the interstate is shutting down for the summer and most importantly, why. The good folks from the Maine Department of Transportation invited us to go on an exclusive tour of the work zone itself, what's going to change, and how it impacts you.

Meg Lane, spokeswoman for the MaineDOT, said closing both southbound lanes for the 18-mile stretch is a more cost-efficient and safer alternative than closing one lane at a time.

"Essentially, the pavement is starting to disintegrate," Lane said. "Our main concern was if we worked on one lane, the work may cause quicker disintegration of the other lane. We don't want chunks of concrete suddenly breaking off and flying into people's windshields."

Once both lanes shut down at midnight of June 16, other routes have been readily prepared to help the daily commuter get from point A to B.

For those north of Gardiner who commute anywhere south of Brunswick, try taking U.S. Route 201. It may sound like a traffic headache waiting to happen, but an on-ramp has been resurrected to get off 201 and back on to I-295, just south of the ending point of the work zone.

Brad Foley of the MaineDOT said the newly paved ramp was grassed over, after being retired from use in the 1970s, when I-295 was being constructed.

"This ramp will help the traffic flow better," Foley said. "Honestly, without this, Topsham would've shut down. There's no way we could move forward with the project without this."

The ramp, however, will be put out to pasture again after Aug. 30, when the project is over, Lane and Foley said. The exit ramp to Topsham is less than a mile away and would pose a safety hazard if it remained open.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5102951.html

Pooling to start in city
From the Kennebec Journal

The Kennebec Commuter has few gripes about our fair capital city. We have a beautiful spa at the Senator Inn, decent retail and when one gets right down to it, it never takes more than 20 minutes to drive anywhere in Augusta.

Of course, most columnists have at least one gripe (usually used as column fodder). Ours? The lack of public transportation in Augusta.

All kinds of transportation and travel news and press releases come across this writer's desk on a daily basis. Most of them are crumpled up and tossed because they hardly ever pertain to Augusta.

An e-mail we received a few weeks ago doesn't completely satisfy that gripe, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.

The folks at GoMaine, a Portland-based organization that is trying to expand car and vanpooling all over the state, has added three new vanpooling routes, two of which affect the capital city.

The routes are for commuters who drive between Augusta and Lewiston, Newport and Augusta, and Portland and Lewiston.

We got the scoop from Carey Kish, director of GoMaine.

"There's no question that the demand is there," Kish said. "It's been identified through studies and anecdotal evidence. There's demand all over the state for vanpooling."

The three new routes join 14 existing vanpooling routes all over Maine. GoMaine's existing vanpooling service accommodates 255 people, and there are dozens of others on waiting lists. Kish projects another 10 vanpooling routes for commuters will be added throughout Maine by the end of the year (a second route from Augusta to anywhere would be nice...hint hint)

"Here we've created a system that's flexible," Kish said. "It can meet the different needs of riders as necessary."

How does it work? A group of 12 people who work within reasonable distance of each other, as well as live, can form a group and register with GoMaine for a van. GoMaine provides the van and the group does the rest: Sets a schedule to leave in the mornings and evenings, designates a park and ride location to meet every morning, and even determines who will drive that day.

"Our vanpool groups are very autonomous," Kish said.

Of course, you can't get something for nothing, but after noticing gas prices are tipping the $4 mark, people seem to have no problem shelling out a little green to subscribe to the service on a monthly basis. Rider fees pay for the gasoline, van insurance, EZ Pass account and overall maintenance.

Prices vary depending on the route you select. From Lewiston to Augusta is $87, Newport to Augusta is $120, and Portland to Lewiston is $90.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5127127.html

Driving the wrong way is a deadly trend
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

Something has been troubling the Kennebec Commuter lately, and it’s not I-295 drama or gas price drama; rather it is what appears to be a disturbing trend.

People driving the wrong way on Interstate 95 and injuring — even killing — other people and themselves. There have been three reported accidents already this year that have killed three people, including a 15-year-old boy.

The first accident was in late spring, when Donna Barlett, 38, allegedly drove south for five miles in the northbound lanes of the turnpike near Ogunquit before crashing head-on with a limousine, killing the driver, James McLaughlin, 65, and Cooper Campbell, 15.

A month later, Jeffrey Blais, a 53 year-old Augusta man, died just north of Augusta when he struck another vehicle driven by a Portland woman.

Blais drove for almost seven miles — headed north in the southbound lane — before he collided with the other car. Trooper Jeffrey Beach has said Blais suffered from mental illness and the accident was “a very unfortunate series of events,” rather than an intentional act.

Most recently, and most ominously, state police are probing a Thursday evening accident which left a 29-year-old Waterville man seriously injured. Richard Crowley, the driver, was driving north, state police reported, then drove into a crossover to head south, but rather than drive south, Crowley continued to travel north. State police said he struck a guardrail, which shot through Crowley’s car engine and into the car itself.

Accidental or intentional, the Kennebec Commuter finds these incidents very tragic. In agreement is Maine Turnpike spokesman Dan Paradee, who called the three fatalities “a very strange phenomenon.”

“It’s one that we hope will stop,” Paradee said of the flurry of awful accidents.

Paradee said traveling in the opposite lane is “not an easy mistake to make. I mean, it’s completely counter-intuitive.”

During his 12-year career with the turnpike, Paradee said the double fatality involving the limousine was the only one he could recall.

“This is something that is rare, very rare,” he said. “I have been here for 12 years, and I cannot recall another accident like this one. If there has been another one like it in the past, I’d be very surprised.”

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/1877015030.html

Oil changes needn't be so soon
From the Kennebec Journal

The Kennebec Commuter is about to say something that will cause our trusted mechanic to smack us : Changing your car oil every 3,000 miles could be a waste of time and an unnecessary consumption of oil.

No, we haven't cracked. No, we haven't been drinking the Kool-aid.

Most drivers have had this advice ingrained in their heads since the days of Driver's Ed: Have the oil in your vehicle changed every 3,000 miles. The Kennebec Commuter must have played hooky the day that particular class was in session, because we've been known to drive the truck until the oil light comes on and a burnt stench starts to waft from under the hood (oy, gelvalt!).

Maybe that's taking it to an extreme, but some automobile manufacturers are now recommending drivers can go anywhere between 5,000 to 10,000 miles between oil changes. It's a new era, automakers are saying, and the introduction of synthetic oils and improved engines means getting more mileage for your buck (if only this were true of gasoline).

We first heard about this while perusing one of our favorite consumer and commuting web sites, www.greencar.com. Writer Bill Siuru called the 3,000-mile myth a "misconception", and a "carry-over".

Makes sense to us. At the same time, however, we can hear our trusted, not to mention very competent, mechanic reciting his mantra: All good car maintenance starts with a routine oil change, and that's usually every 3,000 miles.

Sigh.

We checked in with Lauren Fix, America's "Car Coach." Fix, an upstate New York-based Auto Service Excellence technician and author, knows a thing or two about treating your baby (er, we mean vehicle) with tender loving care.

"Changing the oil every 3,000 (miles) is kind of a hoax," Fix said. "Engines in both European and American cars are much more advanced now. Everyone's picked up their game."

Fix cited Audi, Mercedes and BMW as foreign car manufacturers who are perfecting the advanced engine. On this side of the big drink, Ford and General Motors have been turning out engines that last longer and ensure less-frequent oil changes.

The best secret to knowing how often to change your vehicle's oil?

"Follow your owner's manual," Fix said. "You should always follow what the manual says, not the 3,000-mile myth."

For those with an older vehicle or those who can't find their owner's manuals, Fix said an oil change should be scheduled about every 5,000 miles. Synthetic oil can make the time between changes even longer.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5169028.html

Saving gas: The myths and the facts
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

As the Kennebec Commuter, we’re used to being bombarded with supposed “tips and tricks” from a plethora of sources on how to save gas and the almighty dollar.

Drivers need to be wary of some tips and tricks, though, as they entice you, the driver, to put more money into your car. As a wise man — better known as the Kennebec Commuter’s old man — once said, “You don’t spend money to save money” (or maybe that was “to make money.” Well, the bottom line is, you don’t spend cash to do either).

We decided to call Jessica Lin, a spokeswoman for the Alliance to Save Energy, a Washington D.C.-based non-profit dedicated to (you guessed it) saving energy. This group, which works closely with the Oakridge National Lab (part of the federal Department of Energy), has assembled a web site concerning myths, tips and tricks drivers can use to save gas. Even we learned a thing or two. Check it out at www.drivesmarterchallenge.org.

MYTH: Change your oil every 3,000 miles for better fuel efficiency. You loyal readers already know the drill with this one. Oil changes every 3,000 miles are not necessary for every make or model of vehicle; most can go between 5,000 to 7,500 miles before a trip to your mechanic is needed. In fact, having the oil changed every 3,000 can cost you more money over time and just ups your oil consumption.

FACT: Turning off your air conditioner. The Kennebec Commuter first heard about this one in college. A friend said turning off the A/C actually saves fuel. Though we abhor rolling down the windows and having our hair fly around while we sweat to death this summer, this tip is actually true. Consumer Reports found shutting off the A/C and rolling down the windows in the city shaves a mile off per gallon.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/511996227.html

KENNEBEC COMMUTER: Fewer crashes? Gotta love it
BY MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal

The Kennebec Commuter's old lady came to visit us about a month ago.

We were in the car one afternoon, about to enter Memorial Circle, when Ma -- who was driving -- pointed to the sign and said, "Rotary? Is that some kind of rotary club?"

Yes, Ma, we said. It's a club where members play Russian roulette with their vehicles, trying to get from one side of the traffic circle to the other.

Ma didn't find us to be very funny, especially after avoiding five near sideswipes while trying to cross from Western Avenue to the bridge.

The Kennebec Commuter receives more e-mails about those blasted roundabouts of death than anything else every week.

Folks just hate 'em.

You loyal readers probably remember last fall when we took a ride with driving instructor Glen Soucie of A-1 Driving.

Soucie straightened out how one is supposed to navigate rotaries: Drivers who plan to disembark on the first or second exits after entering should stay in the outer lane. When the driver leaves the rotary, they should exit in the right lane. Drivers planning to exit on the third exit or any past need to be in the inner lane. When they exit, they should do so in the left lane (Consider that our refresher course for today, kids).

We come bearing good news, though, and it is that the days of the reckless rotary will be behind us hopefully by summer's end.

You might have read in the Kennebec Journal this weekend the Maine Department of Transportation will give the east side rotary (which we like to call the evil twin of the two circles) a facelift by adding a third lane and installing more articulate signage, among other changes. This project was prompted by Hannaford's future move to the Cony Circle neighborhood.

The Kennebec Commuter balked at the idea when a colleague initially mentioned it to us. After all, the Cony Circle has the highest crash rate in the state of Maine, and the state wanted to add another lane to this madness? We had to get the scoop on this.

We sat down with Maine DOT engineer Steve Landry to get the gritty details on this very clever -- and what we believe will be very effective -- project.

The third lane, which will be added on Stone, Cony and Bangor streets, will act as a personal lane for those who just want get to the next exit, but a third lane will not be in the circle itself. Painted lines for different lanes will guide the driver on the lane they need to be in while in the circle and where they can disembark.

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5222054.html